Mail-bag catcher.



H. G. LINDERWELL.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1916.

1 ,201 ,477. Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR H. G. LINDERWELL.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLxcATxoN FILED FEB. 5, 191s.

1,201,477. Patented oct. 17,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,.

INVENTOR Hgh/fj Male/wfg@ l WITNESSES l y g. Ww( m94 y N HENRY Gr.LINDERWELL, OF PORTAGE, WISCONSIN.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1"?, 1916.

Application led February 5, 1916. Serial No. 76,464.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY G. LINDER- WELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Portage, in the county of Columbia and State oflVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved mail catcher and the principalobject of the invention `is to provide a receptacle which can be placedalong side of the track to receive mail bags from moving trains, thereceptacle being provided with an improved locking means moved to aclosed position by the mail bags dropping into the receptacle and tofurther so construct the closurel that when once closed by the mail bagdropping into the receptacle, the closure will be retained in the closedposition until the locking means provided is 'released by a key.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this receptacle thatbags may be taken from trains moving in veither direction, separatecompartments being provided for the trains moving indifferent directionsbut the same locking means being used for both closures.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view showing the receptacle in vertical section. Fig. 2 isa view in end elevation, one side of the receptacle being broken away toshow the interior construction. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the improvedreceptacle. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing themanner of operating the 'key for releasing the locking mechanism.' Fig.5 is a. perspective view of theimproved locking means. Fig. 6 is a topplan view of one of the closures.

This receptacle 10 is supported bythe legs or standards 11 and isprovided with an inlet mouth 12 across which there'extends the partitionor bumper 13. This bumper 13 extends as shown in Fig. 2 and is providedwith a depending arm 14: terminating in a finger 15 for fitting into theslot 16 formed in the head 17 of the locking plunger 18. This plunger 18is slidably mounted in the sleeve or standard 19 which supports thebumper 13 and is yieldably held in the raised position or operativeposition by means of spring 20. The head 17 is provided upon oppositesides of the pocket or slot 16 with teeth 21 which extend across theinlet opening 22 formed in the standard 19 for a purpose which will behereinafter brought out.

From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be readily seen that thisreceptacle 10 is pro,

vided with the two compartments or chamcompartment. This shaft whichcarries the closure 25 is further provided with an auxiliary closureplate 28 which extends across the inlet of the receptacle and serves asa bumper or trigger for swinging the closure to the closed positionindicated by dotted lines at the left of Fig. 1. A tooth 29 `extendsfrom the closure 25 and when the closure moves to the closed positionwill pass in through the inlet opening 22 for engagement by the tooth 21of the plunger head. Tt will thus be seen that the plunger Vforms alatch for releasably holding the closures i the closed position.

From an inspection of Figs. 2 and l, it will be yseen that thereceptacle 10 is provided at'one side with a'key-hole opening 3()` whichis formed in alinement with a keyhole opening 31 in one side of thehollow standard 19 and that the plunger 18 isprovided with a pin or lug32 positioned for engagement with the key 33 when turned. Therefore whenit is desired to release one or both vof the closures, it is simplynecessary to insert the key and after the same is in place turn the samethus engaging the lug 32 and moving the plunger or latch downwardly torelease the closure or closures and permit them to be swung back to theopen position. ,lf desired a suitable door can be provided in one sideof the receptacle for removal of the mail bags from the receptacle.

When in use, the receptacle is set up along side the track with thebumper 13 extending transversely of the rails. The mail sack to bedelivered is suspended from the train in any suitable manner and as thetrain passes the station, the sack will strike the abutment 13 and bereleased from its support. The sack will then drop into the inlet 12 ofthe receptacle and upon falling into the receptacle will strike theabutment or trigger plate 28 thus swinging the closure 25 to the closedposition indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. As this closure movesto the closed position, the latch finger 29 will move into engagementwith the head of the latch plunger 18 and the closure will be retainedin the closed position until released by moving the plunger downwardlythrough the medium of the key 33. It will thus be seen that thereceptacle is so constructed that sacks may be taken from trains movingin either direction and further that when the closure is locked itcannot be released by unauthorized persons Who desire to remove the mailsacks and further that when closed it will provide a closure which willprevent water from entering the receptacle. It will be further notedthat when in the open position, the trigger plate 28 will protect thelower po-rtion of the receptacle so that access to a sack in one of thecompartments cannot be had through the second compartment. I havetherefore provided a very simple device which can be used for trainsmoving in either direction and which is so constructed that it will bestrong and durable and not liable to easily break or get out of order.

What is claimed is:

l. A mail catcher comprising a receptacle having an open inlet, a hollowstandard in said receptacle, an abutment carried by said standard, saidstandard being provided with a side opening, a plunger slidably mountedin said hollow standard and yieldably held in a raised position andprovided at its upper end with a latching head, a closure pivotallymounted in said receptacle for moving across the inlet and'provided witha latching finger for passing through the opening of said standard intoengagement with the latching head of said plunger, a trigger for saidclosure positioned for engagement with an article dropped into theclosure, engagement of said trigger by the article moving the closure toa closed position in engagement with the latching plunger, and meanswhereby said latching plunger may be moved to an inoperative position.

2. A mail catcher comprising a receptacle, a standard in saidreceptacle, an abutment carried by said standard and extending throughthe inlet opening of said receptacle,

latching means carried by said standard and yieldably held in anoperative position, closures movably mounted in said receptacle uponopposite sides of said standard, triggers for said closures extendingbeneath the inlet opening of said closure, said triggers when moved byan article placed in said receptacle bringing said closures to a closedposition in engagement with said latching means, and means whereby saidlatching means may be moved to an inoperative position to release saidclosures.

3. A mail catcher comprising a receptacle provided with aninlet, anabutment extending across the inlet of said receptacle, latching meansin said receptacle, closures movably mounted in said receptacle uponopposite sides of said latching means and provided with means forengagement by said latching means to releasably hold the closure in aclosed position, and triggers for moving said closures to a closedposition.

4. A mail catcher comprising a receptacle provided with an inlet, anabutment extending across the inlet of said receptacle, latch means insaid receptacle, shafts extending through said receptacle, closuresconnected with said shafts and having their upper end portions providedwith means for engagement by said latch means to releasably hold theclosures in a closed position, and trigger plates extending from saidshafts beneath the inlet of said receptacle when said closures are in anopen position.

5. A mail catcher comprising a receptacle provided with an inlet, anabutment extending across said inlet, latch means mounted in saidreceptacle, a closure movably mounted in said receptacle, and a triggerfor said closure positioned beneath the inlet when the closure is open,engagement of saidv trigger by an article entering said receptaclemoving the closure into engagement with said latch means.

In testimony whereof l afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY G. LINDERWELL.

Witnesses:

H. R. ToNGEN, MARGARET K. DIEHL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of atents, Washington, D. C.

